RuAviation

Red Wings Airlines has taken delivery of another Tupolev Tu-214 passenger aircraft, registration RA-64549. The aircraft underwent a comprehensive airworthiness restoration, including upgrades to key systems and all required diagnostics. All procedures were performed in accordance with current technical regulations for commercial airliners, as reported by the press service of Rostec State Corporation, which includes Red Wings in its portfolio.

The aircraft has received an airworthiness certificate, confirming compliance with safety and comfort standards. Red Wings plans to deploy the Tu-214 on scheduled routes to Georgia and Israel in the near future.

RA-64549 is the third Tu-204/214 series aircraft to join the Red Wings fleet. The airline received its first Tu-214 (RA-64518) in December 2023, followed by a Tu-204-100V (RA-64043) in March 2024. The core of the Red Wings fleet consists of regional SSJ100 jets, with 22 currently in operation. The airline’s route network covers over 100 domestic and international destinations.

The Tu-214 with tail number RA-64549 was manufactured on September 24, 2008, at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov. From 2010, it was operated by Transaero Airlines under a lease agreement with Ilyushin Finance Co. The aircraft was stored in Kazan from October 25, 2015. In June 2025, restoration work to return the aircraft to airworthy condition was completed. The aircraft was then ferried to Ulyanovsk for painting in the United Aircraft Corporation livery.

The Tu-214 is one of three Russian-built passenger aircraft types expected to form the backbone of Russia’s civil aviation fleet in the coming years, alongside the MC-21-310 and SJ-100. According to the national aviation development program, one new Tu-214 was scheduled for delivery in 2024, but deliveries were postponed. Four aircraft are expected in 2025, seven in 2026, seventeen in 2027, and from 2028, the Kazan Aviation Plant aims to reach an annual production rate of 28 units.

To meet these targets, the Kazan Aviation Plant is expanding and modernizing its production facilities. A new final assembly shop, with a capacity of up to 10 aircraft per year, has already been commissioned. A new subassembly shop, scheduled to open by the end of this year, will handle fuselage and wing section assembly before final integration.

With the reduction of foreign aircraft in Russian airline fleets, consistent Tu-214 deliveries are critical for maintaining operational stability and expanding route networks. In the coming years, the pace of domestic aircraft production will determine the ability to renew fleets and sustain regular air service. However, the Kazan plant’s current output lags behind planned targets, creating uncertainty for future passenger traffic growth.